To My Star (Movie) (2021)

I was really expecting more

This is my second time watching this drama. I first watched it in 2021 soon-ish after it came out I think, and I watched it all at once but as separate episodes. Second time round I watched it in December 2022 as a movie. I would definitely reccommend watching the movie form, it flows so much better and it's just a lot easier to maintain what's going on ygm.
Okay I'm gonna be real here: I expected this drama to be way better ngl I AM SORRYYY. (Heads up this review is gonna be a bit all over the place).
I feel like the weighting of the different plot points was skewed, like there wasn't exactly lots of romance, but there wasn't a lot of anything else specific either? I really do think this is down to how short the drama is, it was a webdrama after all so I can't expect them to fully flesh out the plot because they simply don't have time.
Also, the way the plot was set up is very odd lol, you can tell they were grasping for a way to introduce the characters at all and set up this romance. It is unrealistic because like, in what world would Seo Joon just start *living in the house* without Ji Woo being made aware and just like *wha*- Bit whack but you know what I can let it slide, this is a drama and it is allowed to be unrealistic, we watch them to escape reality after all.
Anyway, following on from that I feel like because of the whack world building and things they had to twist to make their relationship possible introduced lots of random things that didn't really make sense or add anything to the movie/drama. It's like a lot happened but nothing happened at the same time? Some things were mentioned but not explained, and there was one very specific character that was introduced later on that had pretty much zero relevance whatsoever.
The two leads were cute, but I wish the drama focused more on them and their relationship. Yes we do see how they grow fond of each other, but only juuuussstttt enough to justify saying they like each other. Tbh barely enough. Again I think I can put this down to the shortness of the drama, but simultaneously if they had balanced things out better there would've definitely been enough time to focus on the relationship. My favourite part of the drama was definitely Seo Joon's character, he's just so happy! What a bean. And I do always like an opposites attract kinda situation, so that was nice. But as said, I just needed more cute moments and more focus on the romance personally.
One last thing: "I'll be there" by Johnny, what a great song, I love it and think it is a wonderful OST for the drama.
To summarise: it's good but could've been better. Production was good and the main leads were good characters, but the world building was a bit whack and where the plot was weighted wasn't the best. I wouldn't go running to it ygm.

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Opposites attract and create very deep love stories

Strange strength is that of love that transcends the barrier of distance and time, mocks prejudices of all kinds and also manages to perpetuate itself in art as an inspiring paradigm for future generations.
But there are loves that break, in addition to social and temporal molds, those of carnality and logic. How, why, for what, are just the first questions in the face of the inevitable evidence of these powerful attractions.
We don't know if it's because of something in physics or chemistry, but it's no lie that opposites attract and create very deep love stories. Perhaps it is these differences that make them feel a strong attraction towards each other and, what's more, if they complement each other healthily, they will be able to have an almost perfect relationship for life.
However, patiently overcoming obstacles to get to that point will not be an easy task!
When a film becomes a mass phenomenon, regardless of whether or not it has its cinematographic values, it is because it touches some intimate fiber of that public that goes to the cinemas to enjoy it. 'To My Star The Movies', from 2021, proves the axiom.
Because? Its theme, which was evidently the driving force behind its success: the differences between the two characters, one of them a famous celebrity and the other an ordinary chef, in addition to telling about a homosexual relationship. Their lives will be shaken when one of them, who flees from the press and his followers after being involved in a media scandal, is forced to leave his comfort zone and will cross paths with someone who does not want to leave it.
The film, a compilation of the Korean BL drama of the same name, with some scenes added and others deleted or moved in the new editing, revolves around Kang Seo Joon (Son Woo Hyun), a famous free-spirited film and television celebrity who hides after being implicated in a public scandal. At his hideout he meets Han Ji Woo (Kim Kang Min), his new roommate, an introverted and conservative man who leads a modest and unpretentious life.
Forced into an uncomfortable situation, they begin to share their personal stories, fears, and dreams. Despite his fall from grace and not having started the relationship on the right foot, Seo Joon believes that his luck changes when he meets and falls in love with the boy who represents his antithesis. While they spend time together, between the actor and the chef, who move in two very different social spheres, a romance arises,
Seo Joon is not only famous at the peak of his career, playing the leads in hit dramas and television variety shows, as well as high-profile advertisements, he is also outgoing, extravagant and very charismatic. Accustomed to being the center of attention, his personality is pure magnetism that attracts other people to his presence; while Ji Woo, who always tries to go unnoticed and not experience any upheavals in his life, represents the humility and simplicity of a down-to-earth boy who prefers a quiet lifestyle with simple pleasures, such as cooking or hiking.
And against everything predictable, one falls in love with the other and what is worse... it is reciprocated.
The film, by director Hwang Da Seul, who took her time to weave the story, with the meticulousness that characterizes her, worked like a craftsman in her eagerness to recreate every detail on a topic that she is passionate about: boy love, as he did with two dramas: 'Where Your Eyes Linger' (2020) and 'Blueming' (2022), and the short film 'Inner Me'.
With a simple, but captivating and visually emotional plot, the novice filmmaker, recognized for her creative abilities, shows that it was no coincidence that she won the Award of Excellence at the V Catholic Film Festival for her 2018 short film 'Spring That Summer' .
To do so, it was based on Park Young's script about a romantic relationship between two initially heterosexual boys. The film exposes prejudices about homosexuality in Korean society and, above all, in the world of arts and culture, reflected by Jeon Jae Yeong (Kim Pil Hyun), Seo Joon's crisis and talent manager. , upon discovering the budding romance between the two protagonists, but later he will become an accomplice of the two lovers. The series also reflects the role of the media and social networks in the public's perception of youth idols.
Emotionally charged, 'To My Star The Movie' captures the essence of intimacy, vulnerability and unconditional solidarity within the queer community, with two young people navigating their gender identity and cultural background as its narrative heroes. Through an under-researched focus on BL storytelling and powerful performances, the series explores the complexities of human connection and challenges conventional notions of love and intimacy.
The chemistry between the actors is palpable, allowing the depth of their relationship to shine on screen. As the story unfolds, their interactions are conveyed through silence, abstract soundscapes, and textured cuts, creating a captivating visual experience that immerses the audience in their emotional journey of self-discovery and acceptance.
With good intentions, successful gags and sharp dialogues, the film immerses us in the relationship between two young people that, due to misunderstandings, does not start well, but as they live in the same apartment and enjoy cozy and intimate moments together, they will open their hearts.
Since Freud we know that sexuality develops together with subjectivity. It has to do with the pleasure that can be experienced in the body from the bonds built with another.
This reality does not escape the director. While they got to know each other, See Joon and Ji Woo began to learn to enjoy themselves and each other, that experience that shapes our relationship with pleasure, that of each one of them and that which we share.
Soon Woo-Hyun, the actor who plays See Joon, and who worked with the director in the short 'You Ghosted Me for a Week', from 2021, is usually worried about work and the mess in which he finds himself involved, But he tries his best to spend time with Ji Woo.
This, despite the seriousness of his character and overwhelmed by the presence of a being as overwhelming as his roommate, is the first to fall in love. The way he initially puts up a wall of protection around himself in front of the other, the glances he steals from Seo Joon, the intonation of his voice and the strange blink when he doesn't quite know how to act when Seo Joon moves next to him. around him, his facial expressions, his gestures, his entire body, express that he likes it. However, he is cautious, as he suffers from disappointment in love in the past and does not want to be hurt again.
Kim Kang Min, the actor who plays the character of Ji Woo, and whom we know from his debut in 2019 with the SBS series 'Stove League', unlike the famous Seo Joon, lives with his back to the world of celebrities. Employed in his friend's cafe, he is actually a talented chef, but his culinary skills are not shown to the public of large hotels and luxury restaurants.
Pretending to get along with the roommate, Seo Joon insists on befriending Ji Woo and spending time together. Those beings with two very different personalities will little by little get to know each other and enjoy each other's company.
As the days go by, the camera captures the moments of the two boys getting closer. Through silence, abstract soundscapes and textured cuts, the intimacy between Seo Joon and Ji Woo is conveyed in a visually striking way, resulting in genuine and authentic performances that resonate with audiences.
Although it does nothing new or innovative with the premise, the diversity of conflicts they face, their psychological complexities, and the emotional evolution of the characters, add layers to the narrative and weave an intriguing web that keeps viewers in suspense.
'To My Star' explores the idea that true intimacy can be found in the simplicity of sleeping next to someone, in sharing those small moments and spaces of everyday life, transcending the physical act of sex, even if it is artistically fine. recreated, shown.
The film challenges social norms and invites the viewer to question their own perceptions of intimacy and love, while presenting a snapshot of the complexity, tenderness and vulnerability that people experience in unconventional circumstances, such as living together and the relationship between people from two different worlds.
The direction and cinematography contribute to its artistic and visually appealing quality. The deliberate use of images and narrative style create an atmosphere that demands the viewer's attention and encourages introspection and invites reflection.
With a fairy tale ending and a clear resolution for its characters, 'To My Star' successfully captures the beauty and power of love, and serves as a reminder that true intimacy can be found in unexpected places and that love transcends social expectations.
With the final credits, I was able to conclude that I was looking at an audiovisual full of conceptual proposals related to gender identity, personal and social psychology, and the configuration of individual and collective destinies, in a country where today LGBT+ people continue to be discriminated against, and whose paths today, in the 21st century, cannot end up united in a marital alliance, as the refusal to legalize marriage between people of the same sex by a conservative society persists.
In this sense, the series contributes to the struggle of the members of that community in the defense of their trampled rights.

Note: The review of the series of the same name can be found, in MDL, on the page dedicated to the series on the platform.

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